<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>In Vino Veritas by Brennan4</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28494735">In Vino Veritas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brennan4/pseuds/Brennan4'>Brennan4</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Homestuck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Human/Troll Society (Homestuck), Alternate Universe - No Sburb/Sgrub Sessions, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:14:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28494735</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brennan4/pseuds/Brennan4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave wakes up with a hangover and no memory of what happened last night, but he can make some educated guesses.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In Vino Veritas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Davekat Week 2020 Day 7: Beginnings</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Dave Strider wakes up, he is immediately aware of three things. One, he has a massive hangover. Two, he is wearing nothing but his underwear. Three, lying next to him is his roommate Karkat Vantas. He’s still asleep, looking unusually peaceful. The sight of Karkat resting is almost enough to distract Dave from what feels like a jackhammer going to town on his forehead. Looking at Karkat always does something to him but seeing him so calm and relaxed tugs at his heart in a special way. But as wakefulness fills Dave’s brain a wave of panic sets in too.</p><p>Fuck, what happened last night?</p><p>Dave searches his memory and finds fuck all. He remembers going to Jane's party but it quickly becomes a blur. From context clues, namely being mostly naked next to Karkat, he can make some educated guesses as to what happens.</p><p>Dave tries to stealthily move away from Karkat without waking him up but fails miserably. Karkat’s an insomniac and a light sleeper. He groans as he turns over and opens his eyes groggily. It takes a moment for him to realize he’s looking at a half-naked man in his bed, and then his face turns bright red in a second.Then he groans and a look of intense dissatisfaction covers his face, even more so than usual. He lets out a grim sigh of resignation. </p><p>“Uh, good morning?” says Dave with a smile he hopes doesn’t look forced. </p><p>Karkat looks away from Dave as he says, “Good morning.”</p><p>Karkat leaves the room without saying anything more. It takes Dave a full 3 seconds of being alone with his own thoughts to follow Karkat in the kitchen.</p><p>“Man, that was a pretty crazy party last night, huh Karkat?”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess.” Karkat still isn’t looking Dave in the eye. Dave grabs a pair of shades off the counter, and putting them on makes him feel less naked even though he’s still not wearing real clothes. Shades and boxers, classic Dave Strider aesthetic. </p><p>“I-uh, kind of don’t remember anything. Do you?”</p><p>“Yeah, but its probably not worth remembering. Just another awkward fucking mess of a night for Karkat Vantas. It’s what I get for expanding my social horizons and going to a party. Coffee’s supposed to help with human hangovers, right?”</p><p>“Uh, I think so?" Karkat starts pouring water into their cheap coffee maker. </p><p>“Look, you don’t need to worry about anything, Dave. I know human soporifics make them do stuff they wouldn’t normally do, so it can all be water under the bridge. Normal awkward roommate stuff.”</p><p>“Thanks, but I think that’s maybe not what happened?” Dave is rubbing the back of his neck. “Sometimes when humans want to do something but are afraid to, it’s easier when alcohol takes away their inhibitions.”</p><p>“Oh,” says Karkat, with a perfect poker face. “Interesting.” </p><p>“So what I’m saying is, Drunk Dave might have had the courage to do something Sober Dave wanted to but was too afraid to.”</p><p>“Uh-huh. But Sober Dave might want to keep doing… something?”</p><p>“Yeah, but Sober Dave is a cowardly piece of shit, and wants to know exactly what Drunk Dave worked up the courage to do. But I need to know exactly what Drunk Dave did, so I know what that asshole signed me up for.”</p><p>Dave takes a deep breath, realizing he just confessed more than he meant to. He takes a second to hope the implications of what he just said don’t fully sink in. From the look of surprise and relief on Karkat’s face he doubts it. </p><p>“So do you really want a recap of the whole night?”</p><p>“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”</p><p>“I kind of do mind. I fucking mind a lot.” Karkat sighs and pours himself a bowl of cereal. It’s some sort of awful, slimy concoction only fit for trolls but Dave knows Karkat loves the stuff, so he keeps the pantry stocked with it. “But what the hell, better than leaving it to your imagination. It wasn’t as interesting as you’re probably imagining. Put on some fucking clothes though.”</p><p>“Do you not like looking at me without clothes?”</p><p>“I didn’t say that,” says Karkat carefully. “It’s just distracting.”</p><p>Dave leaves the kitchen and gets dressed. When he comes back Karkat has poured two mugs of coffee and hands Dave one. He takes a sip. It doesn’t even come close to curing his raging hangover, but it’s so much better than nothing. </p><p>“So what do you remember?” asks Karkat.</p><p>“I remember up until Jake broke out that fancy vintage bourbon or whatever, then it all goes blurry.”</p><p>A tiny hint of a smile appears on Karkat’s face. “Yeah that tracks. That’s about the point in the evening all of the humans apparently gave up on any pretense of dignity, which is saying something for you guys.”</p><p>“So what happened next?”</p><p>Karkat sighs and blushes a little bit. “You came up to me and draped your weird, lanky human body all over me. And you were saying…” Karkat trails off and turns away from Dave. “Sorry, this is really embarrassing to talk about. Like, I’m gonna tell you, but it feels weird.”</p><p>Dave puts a hand on Karkat’s shoulder. “It’s okay,this shit is super fucking embarrassing for me too. But I really want to talk about this with you.”</p><p>“Okay. You were saying I looked really nice and you wanted to be close to me. Then you slipped and fell and it took almost a minute to get back up off the ground.”</p><p>“I’m a smooth operator, huh?” Dave playfully nudges Karkat in the ribs with his elbows. Karkat pushes Dave away but smiles. </p><p>“You’re a huge fucking dork. I had to pretty much carry you over my shoulder as I walked you to the couch because you apparently forgot how to move in a straight fucking line. Then I dumped you on the couch but you grabbed me with your long noodle arms and…”</p><p>Karkat trails off again and is blushing hard. </p><p>“C’mon Karkat just spit it out. It’s okay.”</p><p>“You sort of…  snuggled me? I think you might have been asleep for a bit, but for a while you just laid there and said nice things about me.”</p><p>“Did you like that?” Dave tries to ask without any inflection or accusation in his tone, but he doesn’t know it if worked.</p><p>“Y-yeah. It was nice. You’re warm and gentle.”</p><p>“Glad you liked it.”</p><p>“Eventually I decided this pathetic shitshow needed to end and to take you home. I had to fucking stuff you into the cab, you kept trying to hang off of me. Then we went home.”</p><p>“So…. what happened to my clothes, Karkat?”</p><p>Karkat lets out a long, deep groan. “Ugh, this is so fucking embarrassing. Fuck you for forgetting about this part, so I have to explain it to you. Okay, so once we were back in the apartment, you started.. Oh, fuck, you kissed me. Just a little bit and just on the cheek. But you said you’d been wanting to do it for a while.”</p><p>Karkat stops talking and looks at Dave expectedly. Dave takes a long sip of coffee. They can both hear a bird singing outside.</p><p>“So, is that true Dave?”</p><p>Dave knows he’s blushing but tries not to think about it. “Yes. I think kissing you would be awesome. Been thinking that for a while.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you?” Karkat’s tone is as artificially neutral as Dave’s is.</p><p>“Wasn’t sure you’d be down for it.”</p><p>“I thought was pretty good.”</p><p>“Glad to hear it. So what happened next?”</p><p>“Alright, this is a little weird and if you want me to stop you can, cuz you were pretty out of it at this. You come off as pretty fucking lame at this part.”</p><p>“Bring it on.”</p><p>“So, you kept asking me if I liked looking at you? You kept saying that you liked looking at me and wanted to know if I felt the same way? I said I did and that seemed to make you happy and then you asked if I’d like to see you with your shirt off? And I said, sure, what the hell? And then you fucking took it off.”</p><p>“Sorry.”</p><p>Karkat chuckles. “I didn’t say I minded, did I?” He leans in closer to Dave. “And I didn’t mind when you took my approval as a sign to ditch your fucking pants too. But by that point you could barely stay awake so I dropped you in the bed.”</p><p>“So why did you stay there with me?”</p><p>“You asked.” Karkat shrugs. “I don’t want to mortify you any more than I need to, so I can skip this part.”</p><p>“Please don’t.”</p><p>Karkat downs the last of his coffee. “You said you didn't want to be alone. That you wanted me to stay by you.”</p><p>Dave rushes up to Karkat and pulls him into a tight hug. “Thanks, man. It means a lot to me that you did that."</p><p>Dave can feel Karkat attempt a casual shrug but he’s being held too tight. "It’s not a problem. I liked being with you.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Dave rubs Karkat’s back tenderly. He is rewarded with the feeling of tension leaving Karkat’s stiff body. “I’m sorry you had to find out how I feel in such a lame way. That I wasn't brave enough to tell you how I felt before now, or remember such a nice time with you. You deserve so much fucking more than that.”</p><p>“It’s not a problem, Dave. I’m just glad you want to be with me.”</p><p>Dave plants a kiss on Karkat’s lips. “I want to be close with you. You’re special to me and I want you in my life as much as possible. I meant everything I said last night and more. This is gonna be the beginning of something really awesome.”</p><p>Karkat kisses him back. “Then I guess we should both be grateful for Drunk Dave?”</p><p>“Yeah, that asshole had some good ideas.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>